Focusing device for electric headlights.



R. BLACK. FOCUSING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC HEADLIGHTS. APPLICATION FILED'MAR. a. 1911.

1,260,998. Patented Mar. 26,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- ATTORNEY 7. R. BLACK. FOCUSING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC HEADLIGHTS APPLICATION FILED MAR- 6, 19!].

1,60,998. Patented Mar. 26, 1918..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEY mi. Austin. 1

ROBERT BLACK, or scnnsnnrin, new roan, ASSIG-NGR are THE iii-airway Lame worms, a oonrone'riion or r FQGUSINGDEVXCE FOR ELECTEtIG HEADLKGHKS.

Specification. of Letters Patent.

,To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, RoBnRr BLACK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Searsdale, Vvestchester county, in the State of lowing is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to improvements in foousing devices for electric headlights and the like, and has for its object to provide means whereby the source of light may be accurately'positioned at the focal point of the reflector.

' Further the invention has for its object to provide adevice of this character 1n which the correct positioning of the source of light may be conveniently and easily ac- .complished.

Further the invention has, for its object to provide a. device of this character in which the source of light is held firmly in its adjusted position,

Further the invention has for its object to provide adevice of this character comprising. a.casing,,lan1p supporting means adjustably supportedthereon, and means for locking the lamp supporting means in" its adjusted position.

Other objects will in part be pointed outhereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, my invention consists in the novel details of construction, and in the combination, connection and arrangement of parts hernnafter more fully described and then poi... ted out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings showing an illustrative embodiment of the inven- .tion,-

Figure 1 is a side view of a headlight einbodying the invention, the side door being removed in order to expose the interior thereof;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the focusing de vice; y i

Fig. 3 is alongitndinal sectional view thereof;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the looking member, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4. p

For purposes of illustration the invention is shown in connection with the head- 'spirit of the invention. 1 Experiencehas" shown that owing to irregularities in the in part be obvious and 15 threaded upon the casing.

as rare;

Application as time s, 1917. Ito. 1552,7623.

light of a locomotive, but itis' .of course fto be understood that the same may b fi e v 1;. 1n .connection with otheiitypesf'of lanterns without in any way departing from shape andsize of the lamp tilame'nfiand in the securing of the lamp bulb to its base the lamp, when mounted in a lainp' socket fixed with respect to the reflector, will not always he at the exact focal poiht thereof: As a slight variation of the lainp' from its proper position at the rte-.11 pointofthe refiectorineans a marked decrease ni -the? amount of reiiected lightgit is eviden t 'that lanterns, in which the lampisocket is' fixed with respect to the reflector; will in many instances be operating below crewman-: mum efiiciency. This disadvantage is over-"ff; come, by means of my improved focu singtj device which permits theianip to jbead justed with respect to the reflector'so as to be positioned at the exact focal point there of thereby insuring that the la'nternw ill atall times he operating at its'maXimumfliciency. lteferringto the drawingsdddesignates a lantern casing of any suitable 'typef within which is supported a reflector "11 having an opening in its rear wall. Extending rearwardly from the back of the reflector 1 1" and; registering with the opening" therein is a-f hollow casing 12 supported. upon' a bracket 13 having one of its ends secuidt'oth-IF lantern casing 10 and'its otherlendembrac" ing the casing 12 and clamped bet'ween'th flanged forward end is thereof anda'riu Adjustably supportedhy thecasin'g 12 l is a tubular member 16 having securedto 9 its inner or forwardend annelectric' lamp socket 17 carrying an electric lamp 18. which' projects through the opening in the"i'ear wall of the reflector 11. &

The rear portion of the'casing 12 is pro vided with an exteriorthread 19 with whi'c v a nut 20 is adapted to engage. The rearend of the casii L 12 and the nut 20 are pro: vided with registering curved sea-ts 2 1" an 2-2 which, when the nut 20'is in itsopera tive position, engage the curved peripheral surface of a split locking-ring 23 surround ing the tubular member 16 to hold the lock ing-ring 23 firmly in engagementwith the tubular member 16 to preventmOv fimeht thereof. The locking-ring 23 is preferably provided with a recess or notch 24: to

Electrical conductors 27 connected to the terminals of the socket 17 extend through the tubular member 16 'and'have their other ends conn'ected'to suitable binding posts 28 carried by the bracket 13, tov which binding posts are connected conductors 29 1eading from a suitable source of electric current supply.

The operation of the device is as fol lows If it is desired to properly adjust thelamp 18 with respect to the reflector 11, the nut 20 and the thumb screws 25 are first unscrewed to cause them to be moved from their operative positions. The unscrewing of the nut 20 allows the locking ring 23 to expand sufficiently to permit longitudinal movement of the tubular member 16 and.

the lamp 18 with respect to the casing 12. The unscrewing of the thumb-screws 25 trees them from engagement with the forward end of the tubular member 16, whereupon the locking ring 23 may be tilted upon its curved seats 21, 22 to permit the forward end of the tubular member 16 and the lamp 18 to be adjusted laterally of the casing 12. After the nut 20 and thumb-screws 25 have been unscrewed the tubular member 16 is so adjusted, by longitudinal movement or tilting movement or by a combination of both movements, as to position the filament of the lamp 18 at the exact focal point of the reflector 11. Thereupon the thumb screws 25 are screwed into engagement with thetubular member 16, and the nut 20 is screwed into its operative position to force the locking-ring 23 to contract and tightly engage .the tubular member 16, which will then be firmly held in its adjusted position.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a reflector having an opening in its wall, of an electric lamp projecting through said opening and adjustably supported with respect to said reflector,

' means for locking said lamp in its adjusted position, and means for retaining said lamp in its adjusted position during the actuation of said locking means, substantially as specified.

2.In a device of the character described, the combination with a reflector having an opening in its wall. of a supporting memher at the rear of said reflector and adjacent to the opening therein, an electric lamp adjustably mounted upon said supporting member and projecting through said openmovement relative to said supporting member, and means carried by said supporting member for-retaining said lamp in its adjusted position during the actuation of said locking means, substantially as specified.

4.- In a device of the character described, the combination with a reflector having an opening in its wall, of a supporting member at the rear of said reflector, and adjacent the opening therein, a member adjustably carried' by said supporting member, a lamp carried by said adjustable member and projecting through 'said opening, means for locking said adjustable member against movement relative to said supporting member, and means for retaining said adjustable member in its adjusted position during the actuation of said locking means, substantially as specified. 5. In a device of the character described, the combination with a reflector having an opening in its wall, of a supporting member at the rear of said reflector and adjacent the opening therein, a member adjustably carried by said supporting member, a lam car ied by aid adjustable member and prosaid locking means, substantially as specie 6. In a device of the character described,

the combination with a reflector having an opening in its wall, of a supporting member at the rear of said reflector and adjacent the opening therein, a member adjustably carried by said supporting member, a lamp carried by said adjustable member andprojecting through said opening, means for 7 locking said adjustable member against movement relative to said supporting member, and thumb screws carried by said supporting member and adapted to engage said adjustable member fdr retaining the latter in its adjusted position during the actuation I pifdsaid locking means, substantially as specie opening therein, a member adjustably carried by said supporting member, a lamp carried by said adjustable member and projecting through said opening, a locking member movable into and out of engages mentwith said adjustable member, means for controlling the movement of said locking member, and means for retaining said adjustable member in it adjusted position during the actuation of said controlling means, substantially as specified.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with a reflector having an opening in its wall, of a supporting member at the rear of said reflector and adj acentth opening thereimlamp supporting means adjustably carried by said supporting member, a lamp carried by said means andproj ecting through said opening, a resilient locking member movable into and out of locking,

engagement with said damp supporting means, and means for controlling the move.- ment of said locking member, substantially as specified.

'9. In a device of the character described, the combination with a reflector having an opening in its wall, of a supporting member at the rear of said reflector and adjacent said openlng, lamp supporting means adjustably carried by said supporting member,

a lamp carried by said means and projecting through said opening, a resilient split-ring surrounding said lamp supportin means and movable into and out of 100 ing engagement therewith, and means for controlling the movement of said split-ring, substantially as specified.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination with a reflector havingan opening in its wall, of a hollow casing at the rear of said reflector and having its front end registering with said opening, said casing being provided with a curved. seat, a member movably supported upon said casing and provided with a curved seat registering with the curved seat of said casing when said member is in its operative position, lamp supporting means adjustably supported by said casing, a lamp carried by said means and projecting through said opening, and a resilient locking member adapted to 'be engaged by said curved seats and forced into engagement with said lamp supporting means when said movable mem her is in its operative position whereby to lock said supporting means against movement relative to said casing, substantially as specified.

Signed at the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, this 15th day of January, one thousand nine hundred and seventeen.

ROBT. BLACK.

- Witnesses:

OoNRAn A. Dm'rnmon, LOUIS B. HesenoUcK. 

